When it comes to using ground beef and sticking to a healthy diet, buying the correct type of ground beef is key. Many options for ground beef are available at every grocery store. Each package has a fat-to-meat ratio printed on the packaging. The leanest options are 90/10 or 93/7 ground sirloin, meaning 90 or 93 percent beef ground from the lean cut of sirloin and 10 or 7 percent fat. Allow for 4 ounces per serving in your recipe for good portion control. Four ounces of 90/10 ground sirloin contain 200 calories, 11 grams of fat and 23 grams of protein, making it a great red meat addition to any diet plan.

Cabbage Cups

Serving this exotically-flavored ground beef dish in cabbage cups makes them healthy and low in carbohydrates. Use a nonstick pan to cook your ground sirloin. Break it up with a wooden spoon and season with a tiny bit of sesame oil, garlic, ginger and scallions. In a small bowl combine sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, another bit of sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Toss the wet mixture with the cooked ground beef, cilantro and onions. Wrap the ground beef up in cabbage leaves and enjoy.

Tacos

Tacos are a quintessential ground beef dish. Brown ground sirloin with peppers and onions until it is no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. To increase the fiber and nutrients, drain and rinse a can of black beans and a can of low-sodium corn and add them to the beef mixture. Serve with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, avocados and fresh salsa. Serve the dish with barely-warmed, small corn or flour tortillas to keep it figure friendly.

Casseroles

Casseroles can be the downfall of many diets. But if you include healthy ingredients, the finished casserole will be healthy too. Use 4 ounces of ground sirloin per portion, crumbled in a nonstick pan. Replace noodles with no-yolk egg noodles and white rice with brown rice to save calories. Many casseroles call for a creamy, condensed soup and cups of cheese. Swap the soup with the fat-free version and use half of the recommended amount of cheese. To increase the nutritional value, add double the veggies called for in the original recipe.

Burgers

Burgers made from ground sirloin are best on the grill. To ensure that each burger is a 4-ounce portion, place 1 pound of meat in a bowl. Divide the meat in half, pressing down and making a small indention with the side of your hand. Repeat to form four equal portions. Grill until the burgers are cooked to the temperature you desire. Serve the burgers with lettuce, tomato and whole-wheat buns.